The Spoils of Plunder

It's amazing what an unlimited political war chest of plunder can do. For lack of a better barometer of the so-called preference of the voting population, we cannot help but rely on the likes of False Asia to provide an indication--albeit perverted by the throngs of trolls and mercenaries on the payroll of the Marcos political machinery to condition the minds of the general population of the imminence of BBM's victory.

The fact is, Leni won over BBM in the previous vice presidential race. Dutae's cluster-fuck of an administration, which is closely associated with the Marcos family in the most negative context (in contrast to the stellar and unblemished performance of Leni, in spite of (a) the absolute minimum government resources allocated to her office and (b) the oppressive hostility of Dutae's administration towards Leni, suggests that (a) those who voted for Leni for vice president in 2016 would likely vote Leni for president in 2022 and (b) many of those who voted for Dutae for president in 2016 would NOT vote for BBM and would instead vote for Leni for president in 2022. So, what's with the False Asia surveys? It's just one of the many spoils of plunder.

Even the recent petitions to the COMELEC to disqualify BBM represent a major victory for BBM, because the Marcos camp has managed to focus the attention of the general population on an infraction (i.e., tax evasion) that, in the whole scheme of things, is miniscule in contrast to the far greater crimes that BBM and the Marcos family have committed against the Filipino people--and have yet to be punished with utmost severity.

While there are clear grounds for the disqualification of BBM under the Omnibus Election Code, we would liken the same to the grounds that resulted in the indictment and imprisonment of Al Capone. In the same way that Al Capone was punished for far less crimes (i.e., tax evasion) that he was guilty of committing, BBM should, at the very least, be disqualified to run for any elected office in accordance with the Omnibus Election Code. But alas, the spoils of plunder also has a direct impact on the COMELEC and the Supreme Court, particularly in light of the integrity (or lack thereof) of the mostly Dutae appointees currently sitting in these institutions. Hence, we can expect another wholesale perversion of the rule of law by the COMELEC and the Supreme Court, which is par for the course under Dutae's administration.

We need to keep our eye on the ball by addressing the root cause of (a) the historical revisionism and mind-conditioning propaganda of the Macoses and (b) the prostitution of our democratic institutions. We need to:

1. defeat BBM in 2022, 
2. recover the remaining Marcos plunder and
3. execute the heirs of Marcos for plunder.

After all, the death penalty was still effective when the Marcos plunder was committed (and subsequently defended by the Marcos heirs to this very day) and the entire Marcos family would have been appropriately executed if they did not escape during the People Power Revolution. Then, we can re-focus on recovering:

1. the Enrile plunder
2. the ERAP plunder
3. the GMA plunder
4. the Bong Revilla plunder
5. and so on

There's plenty of work ahead but it all starts with defeating BBM in 2022.

1Sambayan United Opposition vs Splintered Dutae Coalition

Not surprising from the toy-boy man-whore Dutae-reloaded, Isko recently fired a cheap shot at Leni by declaring that she was unable to unite the opposition. He used the tired Dutae propaganda term "Yellowtards" in the context of the equally tired Bongbong revisionist declaration to "move on." That is how this mercenary low-life reciprocates Leni for giving him, among other so-called "opposition" the benefit of the doubt. The fact is, Lacson, Isko and Pacquiao were enablers of Dutae from the very start and only recently called-out Dutae to lend an iota of credibility for their self-serving bids for the presidency. In short, there was NO opposition candidates to unite among Lacson, Isko and Pacquiao, as they were all FAKE OPPOSITION in the first place.

What has become apparent in the course of Leni's good faith attempt to persuade even the FAKE OPPOSITION to cross-over to the right side of history is her success in amalgamating the UNITED OPPOSITION OF THE PEOPLE OF 1SAMBAYAN against what has predictably evolved into a thoroughly splintered coalition (previously at least) of Dutae enablers. The Dutae Coalition is no more. It's every opportunistic trapo for himself, which will pave the way for Leni's victory.

Consider the following voter demographics in the Philippines: the D and E sectors represent approximately 94% of the voters; whereas, the ABC sectors represent only 6% of the voters.

This means that over 58 million of the roughly 62 million voters are prime targets for vote-buying, which will most assuredly be the primary mode of cheating to be employed by Bongbong and Sara, just because they have amassed so much plunder to utilize for such purpose--so they can plunder the country's coffer all over again. Pacquiao and Isko will still garner a significant percentage of votes from the D and E sectors due to their celebrity status, though not as much as the votes that are bought by Bongbong and Sara. Lacson, who is neither a celebrity nor adequately funded, is essentially a nuisance candidate.

On the other hand, the groundswell of the UNITED OPPOSITION OF THE PEOPLE OF 1SAMBAYAN for Leni will not only cut through ALL sectors of voters (including the D and E sectors) but will also take the majority of the ABC sectors. This will become apparent as funding from grassroots supporters pour into the Leni campaign.

I translate the above observations to the following fearless forecast:

Considering Leni won the vice presidential race in 2016 with 14,418,817 votes, the the conservative forecast of around 16.4 million votes for Leni as President (only 2 million votes more than she garnered as Vice President) is very achievable--thanks to the splintered "every man for himself" Dutae coalition.

If Lacson and Pacquiao have any ounce of love for country, they should just drop their bid for presidency and support Leni Robredo for President, thereby helping save the Filipinos from the disastrous dynasties of Marcos and Dutae.

Vote Leni Robredo for President and Kiko Pangilinan for Vice President! And vote the following for senators:

Chel Diokno

Antonio Trillanes

Risa Hontiveros

Leila De Lima

Teddy Baguilat

Minguita Padilla

The True Colors of Isko

It did not take long for Isko to reveal his true colors. He claims he is not keen on "revenge politics." Pagod na raw siya sa pagkulong ng mga politiko, pero hindi naman niya ibabasura yung hindi makatarungang pagkulong kay Senator Leila de Lima. Sa makatuwid, hahayaan niyang manatiling malaya yung mga mandarambong na tulad ni Dutae at ang kanyang mga galamay, si GMA, si Enrile, si Jinggoy, si Bong Revilla, at ipagpapatuloy niya ang pagdiin kay Senator Leila De Lima--na kinulong ni Dutae base sa mga gawa-gawang kasinungalingan ng mga drug lords. Marahil ay hindi rin niya ibabasura yung mga hindi makatarungang mga kaso na inutos ni Dutae laban kay Maria Ressa na kasalukuyang nakakamit ng Nobel Peace Prize.

Gusto raw ni Isko maging "healing" president at dapat daw mabigyan ng pagkakataon maunawaan ang panig ng mga anak ni Marcos. Pagod na raw siya sa away ng Marcos at Aquino. "Move on" na daw tayo, sabi ni Isko, tulad ng paulit-ulit na pahayag ni Bongbong. In the first place, the fight was never between just Marcos and Aquino, it was a fight of the entire Filipino Nation that was sick and tired of the corrupt and oppressive dictatorship of Marcos. Apparently this toy-boy man-whore, who has had many years of on-the-job training at the expense of my taxes, still has much to learn. Umiiral pa rin ang kanyang tunay na anyo na bayarang putang-lalaki.

Akala ko pa naman ay nakapag-seminar si Isko sa Harvard. Did he not learn that the basic premise and prerequisite of reconciliation and healing are accountability and justice? He has not yet even set foot in Malacañang and he is already abdicating a critical component of his mission as the next president of the country. If you are tired of enforcing the rule of law by holding these plunderers accountable for their crimes, then you have no business running for the presidency.

Based on your recent actuations (which have revealed your true colors), you are essentially Dutae reloaded, which is unacceptable. So, go ahead and "steal" the D and E sector votes from Marcos and Dutae (i.e., the BatogaGo tandem or the SaragaGo tanden, which will be known on November 15, 2021) and pave the way for Leni's victory.

Vote Leni Robredo for President and Kiko Pangilinan for Vice President! And vote the following for senators:

Chel Diokno

Antonio Trillanes

Risa Hontiveros

Leila De Lima

Teddy Baguilat

Minguita Padilla

Bongbong files candidacy for president

Marcos: The Plunderer

Ang masasabi ko lang kay Bongbong, bago an lahat, puwede ba ibalik ninyo sa mamamayang Pilipino ang ninakaw ninyo? Halos apat na dekada na ang lumipas noong sinuka kayo ng sambayanan ngunit palimos lamang ng inyong pandarambong ang naibalik sa amin at pahirapan pa! Ang kakapal ng mga mukha ninyo na tumakbo sa politiko habang nagpapakasasa kayo sa pambihirang pagnanakaw sa kaban ng bayan na ginagamit pa ninyo para lokohin ang mga mahihirap sa ating lipunan. Ang tanging nararapat at makatarungan ay ikulong an inyong buong angkan at ibalik sa mamamayang Pilipino and ninakaw ninyo.

Iboto si Leni Robredo bilang Presidente at si Kiko Pangilinan bilang Bise Presidente!

Willie Revillame: A Timely Lesson for Pacquiao

"A man's got to know his limitations." Dirty Harry

In an all too rare but appropriate course of action of a popular showbiz personality, television host Willie Revillame announced that he will not run for elections next year.

"Wala akong alam sa batas. Baka ho lait-laitin lang ako doon ng ating mga mahal na senador na magagaling. Hindi man lait-laitin, siguro baka wala naman akong maiaambag na batas, di ba? Baka dumating yung time na sayang lang yung boto niyo sa akin, na wala akong nagagawa."

Pacquiao should take his cue from Willie and, instead, focus his efforts and resources in supporting Leni's bid for the presidency. He would thus be remembered not only for being one of the greatest boxers of all time but also for being the selfless politician that helped to put an end to the lies and plunder of Marcos and Dutae.

Ironically, in the current scenario that Pacquiao insists on pursuing his bid for the presidency, he is setting himself up for a humiliating defeat while, at the same time, "stealing" the D and E sector votes that would otherwise be bought by Marcos and Dutae (either the BatogaGo or the SaragaGo tandem to be known on November 15, 2021). Either way, Pacquiao will actually be helping Leni win the presidency. It's Pacquiao's choice to do so as a hero or as an idiot. If only Pacquiao would listen to the words of wisdom of Dirty Harry and Willie . . .

Vote Leni Robredo for President and Kiko Pangilinan for Vice President!

Pacquiao cannot be the President

Admirable. Yes. A Great Boxer. Absolutely. The President of the Philippines. I don't think so.

Pacquiao is fundamentally a simple man. I say this NOT in a pejorative sense, because simple people often have a refreshing take on insurmountable challenges. However, because Pacquiao did not have the opportunity to grapple with complex issues through most of his life, he is wont to oversimplify potential solutions to the immense problems of the country.

The idea of addressing the squatter problem of the Philippines is a good one. I support it and it should be prioritized by the government and executed efficiently without corruption over many consecutive administrations. However, the notion that "wala silang babayarn kahit piso" is flawed in so many ways. The statement alone is thoroughly irresponsible and downright reckless, particularly from the standpoint of law-abiding and tax-paying citizens like myself, who will ultimately be footing the bill (most of it) for such a massive human relocation and housing undertaking. Of all people, Pacquiao surely has a profound understanding of the painstaking work and incredible sacrifice entailed in any worthwhile endeavor, as evidenced by his own life story. There is no "free lunch" and that goes for all the squatters that aspire for a decent home of their own.

Pacquiao believes he is also the champion of our poor farmers. Yet, he supported the passage of the Rice Tariffication Law, which is just another version of the Coco Levy Fund that has oppressed our coconut farmers up to this day and is now oppressing the much larger agricultural segment of our rice farmers. It's nice to know that Pacquiao realizes his mistake and wants to amend the law. However, the damage has been done and will not be easy to reverse. Pacquiao will predictably be easy prey to advocates of government subsidies (i.e., from the frying pan to the fire) and communist anarchists like Paeng Mariano, who was denied the position of the Secretary of DAR by the Senate's Commission on Appointments for brazenly disregarding the rule of law and wreaking havoc in the countryside during his temporary appointment by Dutae. Notwithstanding, Pacquiao was among the few senators who actually voted in favor of Mariano. It is no wonder that Mariano and his communists cohorts are right behind Pacquiao, as the simple man would be the easiest to exploit to further their communist agenda should Pacquiao become the president.

Pacquiao has been a vocal advocate of buying back shares of government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) that were privatized in recent years. He seems to think that doing this would increase government revenues (in addition to taxes) so that the government (and he as the president) would have more resources to help the poor. This is where I draw the line, because it has been proven time and time again that bigger government, particularly in the Philippines, means more inefficiencies and even greater corruption, which only results in the enslavement of the citizens by a parasitic government. This has been the case in the Philippines since the comprehensive institutionalization of a government kleptocracy under the Marcos Dictatorship, which has only been exacerbated over the years. Read "The Irrelevance of the Philippine Government" and "Taxation is Theft."

I believe Pacquiao wants to help the poor. He just does NOT have the capacity to properly execute his aspiration and that is why Pacquiao cannot be the President of the Philippines. All heart and a simple mind will inadvertently trigger the law of unintended consequences to the detriment of the Philippines.

Vote Leni Robredo for President!

The Dirt on Yorme Isko Moreno

Now that Isko has declared his plan to run for the President of the Philippines, it's open season to vet the essence of this individual who presumes to "lead" this country out of the shitshow of Dutae.

Here's the link on Twitter: The Dirt on Yorme

Here's the link on Facebook: The Dirt on Yorme

Incidentally, the source of the above, a certain Krizette Laureta Chu, appears to be Diehard Dutae Supporter or DDS, so you can surmise the "resback" of Dutae now that Isko (a former enabler of Dutae) has conveniently transformed into a Johnny-come-lately critic of this Dutae abomination--in the same shameless manner as the Dick at the Senate. To be clear, the Dick, who I truly admired when he resurrected SBMA from the devastation of the Pinatubo eruption, may yet redeem himself (from when he exonerated Dutae et al of EJK's not too long ago) if he successfully pins Dutae et al in the Pharmally fiasco.

Back to Isko. For starters, Isko appears to have a gambling itch--just like his former boss, ERAP. Not exactly a confidence-building trait. Dutae appointed Isko as Undersecretary of the DSWD. Thereafter, Isko ran for Mayor of Manila and won. Isko has been an enabler of Dutae until he decided to run for the presidency. Isko's political career may be characterized as a chronology of pa-pogi, inconsequential, on-the-job training positions until he was voted the Mayor of Manila, in which he likewise focused on no-brainer high-profile pa-pogi projects (with very savvy socia-media coverage every step of the way). He has exploited his short and average stint as the Mayor of Manila to catapult his overambitious political career towards the presidency.

Remember the other presidential candidate who also admired Marcos and who also "led" this country into the monumental cluster-fuck that it is today--just like Marcos did when he was puked-out of the country nearly 50 years ago. So, enough of these officials like Isko, who admire Marcos. It's another foreshadowing of a disastrous administration waiting to happen after Dutae's abject failure--a one-two punch the country cannot bear.

The Next Mayor of Manila . . . you've got to be kidding!
(As it happens, the joke in on us, particularly if he wins the presidency.)

A netizen had the following comment on Isko (then the Vice Mayor of the City of Manila) when there was a pending disqualification case at the Supreme Court against ERAP assuming the post of the Mayor of Manila after he had been convicted of plunder and subsequently pardoned by GMA (another plunderer):

"Personally, I have nothing against Isko. I’ll be the first to concede that he was a hunk then and he is still a hunk today. But he was also a man-whore (putang lalaki), a toy-boy of any number of homosexual patrons. If he was capable of selling his body and soul for cash, how much more can he “sell” and/or extort in a position of power such as the Mayor of Manila—at the expense of the taxpayers of the city. He may have won fair and square as the elected Vice Mayor of Manila but there is such a thing as damage control. Let’s keep him as the Vice Mayor (but no more than Vice Mayor), so he can continue to focus on his good looks."

Unfortunately, the consummate man-whore has successfully prostituted himself in the political arena to reach this point of parlaying his good looks for a shot at the highest office in the land. Just as Dutae should never have been permitted to get beyond the confines of Davao, Isko's aspiration for the presidency does not deserve any serious consideration.

Real chummy with Ronnie Puno--the "operator" behind-the-scenes responsible for installing presidential plunderers like ERAP and GMA.

Ang kasalukuyang campaign strategist ni Isko ay ang former campaign strategist ni Dutae na si Lito Banayo. User-friendly man-whore Isko. Started his career as a toy-boy in the entertainment industry; has a gambling itch like ERAP; an admirer of Marcos; an enabler of Dutae. Pagkatapos magpagamit at makinabang . . . it's time to move on to bigger and better things--at the expense and misery of the Filipino. 

Isko's running mate with Mocha Uson, among other Dutae trolls. He ran for the senate in the last mid-term elections under Lakas-CMD, a Dutae allied party.

Isko's running mate (Doc Willie Ong) was a purveyor of the hysterical public misinformation campaign on Dengvaxia alongside Acosta. This resulted in (a) the public distrust of the otherwise sound vaccination program of the DOH and (b) one of the world's worst measles outbreak in modern times. As of January 2019, there were more than 33,000 cases and 466 deaths in the Philippines from the vaccine-preventable disease. A charlatan candidate for president selects another charlatan for vice president. Tama na ang panloloko ninyo!

Doc Willie has no problem with Dutae even until now. He's either bobo or duwag.

Simpleng tanong kay Isko. Ipapakulong mo ba si Dutae sa napakarami niyang kasalanan at atraso sa Pilipino kung ikaw ang susunod na pangulo? Siguradong song and dance number ang sagot diyan. "I will be a healing president," ang sabi ni Isko. That's just doublespeak, which means he will NOT run after Dutae. No accountability for the nth time. Walang accountability ang mga Marcos (kasi nga Isko admires Marcos). Walang accountability si ERAP (kasi nga may pinagsamahan sila ng nakaraang amo). Walang accountability si GMA (enabler nga ni Dutae). Walang accountability si Enrile (enabler nga ni Dutae). Walang accountability si Jinggoy (enabler nga ni Dutae). Walang accountability si Bong Revilla (enabler nga ni Dutae). Higit sa lahat, walang accountability si Dutae kung si Isko ang susunod na pangulo. The country will never heal unless all these plunderers (Magnanakaw Inc.) are finally convicted and jailed.

It's about time we discard political opportunists and charlatans like Isko. Huwag na tayong paliguy-ligoy. Vote Leni Robredo for President!

Dutae's Special Place in Hell

There is a special place in hell for those who plunder amidst the suffering of the people.

Even The Manila Times, which is owned by Dante Ang (publicist and lackey of GMA and Dutae) and serves as the trolling and misinformation platform of Tiglao (how can any civilized society give this troll any editorial space in the first place?), concedes that "some very material facts have been established through testimony and documentary evidence in the possession of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee. It is not disputed that the Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. was organized only in September 2019 with a paid-up capital of only P625,000. Yet, in less than six months, this corporation was able to bag a government contract to supply personal protective equipment (PPE) against Covid-19 worth P8 billion. The face masks and the face shields sold by this corporation to the government through the DBM-PS are outrageously overpriced."

True to its kiss-ass allegiance to Dutae, The Manila Times in the same article shamelessly lays out the "scapegoat scenario" as follows:

"If the crime of plunder or any other offense would be supported by the evidence that may come out of the investigation, President Rodrigo Duterte should dismiss outright erring government officials. This, indeed, will be one instance where the President can rightfully and proudly claim that his anti-corruption drive does not spare anyone, not even good friends. The President, I believe, should welcome the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee investigations of the Pharmally-Lao transactions as this is in line with his much vaunted anti-corruption campaign."

Really!!! Pin the blame on small fries like Pharmally and Lao so that Dutae (the Patrono himself) comes out smelling like a bed of roses. I don't think so. This is a case of PREMEDIDATED PLUNDER in which Dutae, Bunggu, Lao, Yang Hong Ming (aka Michael Yang), Huang Tzu Yen, among others, are at the very core of the rotting and stinking dung heap.

Charlie Fry hits the nail on the head in his most amusing music video.

As the Pharmally fiasco unfolds, it is clear that there are multiple facets to this premeditated plunder by Dutae et al:

1. The most obvious is the government's purchase of overpriced PPE from Pharmally to funnel a significant portion of kickback to the pockets of Dutae et al.
2. Not so obvious but equally egregious is the government's deliberate actions to prevent a local manufacturer to supply more competitively priced surgical masks in favor of the overpriced alternative of Pharmally. This has far reaching implications with respect to depriving local jobs to Filipinos who need it most during the pandemic.
3. The double-payment of the DOH to the DBM for PPE. So, in addition to purchasing overpriced PPE for the initial kickback, there is a second level of kickback representing over 100% of the overpriced purchase cost! This is an unprecedented level of corruption, only with Dutea et al!
4. A former official (George Mendoza) of the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) told senators on Monday, September 13, that early on in the pandemic, he had been instructed (on at least two separate occasions) to sign inspection documents for COVID-19 items coming from Chinese suppliers – before actual inspection and delivery of items were made to the Philippines. To be clear, those signed inspection documents were fraudulent and illegal. Hence, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee (chaired by the former dick-sucking absolver of Dutae and now the numero uno rat abandoning a sinking ship) should trace these illegal instructions all the way to Dutae!
5. Pharmally executives buy luxury cars after bagging pandemic contracts. Brazen impunity. Look how much I "earned" from a mega-corrupt government contract. Just imagine how much more kickback was funneled to the pockets of Dutae et al.
6. The Philippine government gave free use of military ships and planes to Chinese suppliers like Pharmally to deliver personal protective equipment (PPEs) to the Philippines; whereas, local manufacturer EMS said they had to import raw materials at their own cost. Halatang-halata na pinapaboran ni Dutae yung mga Intsik dahil bayaran siya ng mga ito.

So, in addition to the ICC running after Dutae for his crimes against humanity, the next administration (if it is worth its salt) should get cracking (as in without delay) on convicting and jailing Dutae, Bunggu, Lao and all the government officials (as well as all the individuals associated with Pharmally) that enabled this premeditated plunder at the expense of so many suffering Filipinos. Dutae et al's jail cells would be appropriate pre-departure chambers for their special place (as in eternally intense and excruciatingly painful searing spots) in hell!

Like I've been saying all along . . . FLOCK WISELY

 

As the Lacson-Sotto Tandem for the May 2022 elections broadcasts its senatorial slate and political alliances, it is becoming clear that this Shady and Spineless Tandem is essentially a rehash of The Three Kings of the United Nationalist Alliance. I have to say that Lacson's latest alliance with Bebot Alvarez (Impunity Personified) takes the cake.

Let us FLOCK WISELY in the May 2022 elections. Vote Leni Robredo for President.

Mga Balimbing at Tunay na Oposisyon

Ang Lagalag, Facebook, July 30, 2021

Kagaya ng ahas, ang mga politicians ay nagpapalit din ng balat — kung nalalapit na ang halalan. Dumidikit sa tingin nila'y malakas at may laban . . .

#Balimbing

Huwag po natin kalimutan iyong numero unong balimbing na si Sotto, ang ka-tandem in Lacson sa Mayo 2022. Mga nagpapanggap na "independent" na subsob naman kay Dutae habang nasa poder at ngayon lamang nagbabatikos sa katapusan ng kanyang termino. Tandaan po natin ang tunay na oposisyon sa susunod na halalan.

Leni Robredo for President

To be determine for Vice President

Senatorial Slate

De Lima

Trillanes

Hontiveros

Bam Aquino

Pangilinan

Chel Diokno

The other six (6) senatorial candidates to be determined

Lacson-Sotto Tandem in May 2022

It's not Dutae exactly but it's Dutae-ish--reloaded with a different costume.

For starters, Lacson is at best shady. Read Ping Lacson and the PAOCTP Criminal Organization. On the other hand, Sotto is spineless. Shady and Spineless, is this tandem really the best we can do in the Philippines?

On August 8, 2016, Senator Hontiveros filed a Senate resolution correctly stating that the crimes of Marcos and the human rights violations committed under Martial Law render him unfit to be given a hero’s burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. A no brainer yet the Senate delayed and only took it up for a vote on November 14, 2016. Both Lacson and Sotto (then Majority Leader) were among the six (6) senators (including Gordon, Honasan, Pacquiao and Villar) who voted AGAINST the resolution of Hontiveros. 

In 2017, Lacson and Sotto ("a Duterte ally"), among other senatorial lackeys of Dutae such as Ralph Recto and JV Ejercito, declared that the ICC case against Dutae was "dustbin-bound." Anyone with an iota of humanity would have welcomed and supported the ICC case against Dutae but not these Dutae stooges.

More recently, shortly after the outgoing ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda requested judicial authorization to proceed with an investigation on the alleged crimes against humanity committed in the Philippines, Sotto raised the question, "What about drug groups killings in Mexico and other South American countries, are they also investigating?"

"Sa mexico kapwa cartel nagpapatayan. may gobyerno sila para mag imbistiga. sa pinas gobyerno ang pumapatay kaya si ICC ang nag iimbistiga." Jojo Antonio, Twitter, June 15, 2021

"Bobo talaga ito! If drug groups killing each other, it's the government has jurisdiction to that. However, if the government are killing the drug users and pushers, the ICC has to look into that." Fil Amboy, Twitter, June 16, 2021

"Whataboutism at its finest." Mister Mxyzptlk, Twitter, June 16, 2021

[Whataboutism--the technique or practice of responding to an accusation or difficult question by making a counteraccusation or raising a different issue.]

"So porke't gumagawa din ng krimen si Pedro ay hindi na dapat imbestigahan si Juan sa mga nagawa nyang krimen, ganun ba? Anong klaseng rason yan?" Leisbeth Recto, Twitter, June 16, 2021

Just a minute sampling of the adverse reactions of netizens towards Sotto's asinine statement. Hence, Sotto, as expected of a spineless pandering pimp, backpedaled.

In December 2020, Sotto remained dismissive of the ICC case against Dutae.

In June 16, 2021, Sotto now "believes" the government should allow the ICC to see for themselves the Philippines' anti-drug drive--albeit hiding behind the skirt of Dutae when he states that "the ball is with the executive department to decide on the ICC probe." A two-faced coward (doble-kara at duwag), wouldn't you say?

On May 16, 2018, six (6) opposition senators (Drilon, Pangilinan, Bam Aquino, Hontiveros, De Lima, Trillanes) asked the Supreme Court (SC) to interfere in the ongoing withdrawal process by the Philippines from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Much later in January 2020, Lacson "urged" the Supreme Court (which at that time had repeatedly proven its blind allegiance to Dutae) to rule on the petition of his colleagues seeking to declare as invalid or ineffective President Rodrigo Duterte’s withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC) without the consent of the Senate. However, Lacson also stated that “In the absence of a Supreme Court ruling on the President’s power to unilaterally break a treaty/bilateral agreement like the VFA without the consent of 2/3 supermajority vote of the Senate, I agree that the President can do that without the Senate’s approval or consent.” Disguised duplicity at its best that illustrates Lacson's true allegiance to Dutae.

Considering (a) Lacson's duplicity in castrating the approval rights of the Senate on the country's withdrawal from international treaties (thereby reinforcing the self-serving whims of Dutae at the expense of the whole country) and (b) Sotto's above asinine thinking, intellectual dishonesty, political pimping and cowardly vacillation with respect to the ICC case against Dutae, I'd say this this tandem is bereft of capability, honesty and bravery--Dutae reloaded.

As Dutae was organizing his lynch mobs in all the branches of government against De Lima, one of the preludes occurred at the Senate when De Lima was first ousted as the Chair of the Justice and Human Rights Committee days after she presented a witness who accused Dutae of ordering extrajudicial killings as Davao City mayor. Lacson and Sotto were among the sixteen (16) members of the lynch mob at the Senate coopted by Dutae, who are listed as follows:

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III

Senate Majority Floor Leader Vicente Sotto III

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano

Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri

Sen. Panfilo Lacson

Sen. Cynthia Villar

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian

Sen. Gregorio Honasan

Sen. Sonny Angara

Sen. Joel Villanueva

Sen. Richard Gordon

Sen. Nancy Binay

Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito

Sen. Manny Pacquiao

Sen. Loren Legarda

Sen. Grace Poe 

In May 2018, when a majority of the senators (14 out 23 senators) banded together to ask the Supreme Court to review its decision to unseat Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno through a quo warranto petition and defend the Senate’s jurisdiction over impeachable officials, Lacson and Sotto were NOT among these 14 senators.

Today (2021), Lacson and Sotto are rebranding themselves as a "viable alternative" to the Dutae Dynasty. Now that's a heaping pile of hogwash. If these pretenders gain any traction in May 2022, the Filipinos are in for another grand swindle!

I reprint the following article in August 2012 (with the author's permission) to highlight the quintessential Sotto, the vice-presidential running mate of Lacson (who is just as unessential).

An Open Letter to Ms. Fatou Bensouda, Prosecutor, ICC

June 16, 2021

Ms. Fatou Bensouda

Prosecutor

International Criminal Court

Through the kindness of the

Information and Evidence Unit

Office of the Prosecutor

The Hague, Netherlands

Email: otp.informationdesk@icc-cpi.int

Dear Ms Bensouda:

I have read the full text of your distinguished office’s public redacted version of “Request for authorisation for investigation pursuant to article 15(3), 24 May 2021, ICC-01/21-7-SECRET-Exp” (the “Request”) and would like to express, on behalf of my fellow citizens of the Republic of the Philippines, our profoundest appreciation and gratitude for your heroic efforts to hold President Duterte accountable for his crimes against humanity and the Filipino people.

I was in tears reading your Request, as it articulates so completely and accurately the state-sponsored slaughter of Filipinos institutionalized by President Duterte, which our judiciary, among other Philippine government institutions, are in no position to adjudicate today--in spite of declarations to the contrary by the mouthpieces of President Duterte. As your Request astutely points out, even the so-called efforts of the Philippine Department of Justice under the “technical assistance” granted by the UN Human Rights Council (in October 2020) have been and will indeed remain perfunctory for as long as President Duterte is in power and/or his anointed successors manage to cheat their way to “victory” in the next national elections in 2022. Hence, we, the Filipino people, have no recourse but to seek justice through the ICC. And time is of the essence.

As you may know, I have written an open letter to your successor, Mr. Karim Asad Ahmad Khan (March 5, 2021) and Ms. Michelle Bachelet (United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, March 10, 2021), to beseech their respective offices to pursue (and, in the case of the UN, to reconsider pursuing) a full investigation of President Duterte’s crimes against humanity. And when the damning evidence is outed, to prosecute him and his implementers to the fullest extent of the law.

We sincerely hope and pray that the ICC and your successor, Mr. Khan in particular, will stay the course of your courageous initiative to investigate and prosecute President Duterte, especially in the context of a thoroughly inept and inutile government that has been completely co-opted and corrupted by President Duterte himself.

Thank you again for your invaluable help to a cowered and suffering nation.

Sincerely,

Mario Puruganan

cc:

Ms. Michelle Bachelet

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

Through the kindness of the

Civil Society Section

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

Geneva, Switzerland

Email: civilsociety@ohchr.org

1Sambayan Nominations

In a nutshell . . .

Presidential Candidate

Leni Robredo--keeping her options open. This is a good sign and she will most probably be the presidential candidate of the united opposition.

Vice Presidential Candidate Selection

1. Antonio Trillanes--would give way to Leni if she runs for president
2. Chel Diokno--has not aspired to be the next president or vice president of the Philippines
3. Grace Poe--no plans to run for president
4. Vilma Santos--turned down the nomination
5. Eddie Villanueva--son says their family was not interested to mount a presidential bid

The above suggests (read between the lines) that these five (5) individuals are all potential vice presidential candidates of Leni.

Rejects

Isko Moreno--asked to be removed from list. Isko is really another Dutae--only good looking. He should never have been considered an "opposition" candidate in the first place. If he decides to run for president, then he will further splinter the votes of Sara, Bongbong and Pacquiao, which would be advantageous to Leni. If he decides to run for vice president (of Bongbong?), then he will take away votes from Gibo (vice president of Sara?), which would also be advantageous to the vice presidential candidate of Leni.

Nancy Binay--asked to be removed from list. The Binay family's legacy of corruption in the City of Makati should not be elevated to Malacañang. Like Isko, Nancy should never have been considered an "opposition" candidate in the first place. That said, if the Binay family genuinely wanted to help the country, then they should rally behind Leni and whoever the united opposition selects as the vice presidential running mate of Leni.

It's a great start for 1Sambayan. Keep it coming and keep refining. We are behind you all the way!

WHEN China invades Taiwan . . . and why it matters to the Philippines

It is only a matter of time before China finally pulls the trigger and invades Taiwan. The following comparison of military assets of the two countries suggests that China could hold its own if and only if the US decides to back Taiwan in a military showdown with China.

To be clear, WHEN China invades Taiwan, the question is, will the US even come to the rescue of Taiwan? That is the crux of the matter. With most of the countries of the world already adhering to the "One China Policy," thereby essentially recognizing Taiwan as a part of China and, correspondingly, maintaining only "unofficial" ties with Taiwan, the overriding principle of international norms and conventions today would suggest that China would simply be exercising its right to govern a renegade territory WHEN it finally invades and occupies Taiwan.

It follows that the US, if and only if it decides to defend Taiwan, would be considered by the international community (regardless of how sympathetic they may be towards Taiwan) as an interloper and, therefore, would suffer the same defeat (essentially, regardless of how the US has labeled the ultimate outcome) in the Korean War (North Korea still exists), the Vietnam War (the Communists got South Vietnam) and the various wars (too many and too messy to even enumerate) in the Middle East (they're all back to being terrorist-infested shit holes after the withdrawal of the US military).

Notwithstanding the ever-increasing anti-China sentiment all over the world, including in the US (with the US legislature actually enacting bipartisan laws against China today in spite of its apparent inability to act in a bipartisan manner on all other matters), will the US have the political will and economic commitment to come to the rescue of Taiwan WHEN China invades Taiwan? Sadly (as I happen to sympathize with Taiwan), I think not--at least at this time.

China's leaders are probably amused with the many publications of western-centric analysts on how China will go about reunifying with Taiwan and how the US should plan and respond to this eventuality. It's really not that complicated.

• China will use brute force, as expected of a sovereign bully and thug. Of course, the press release in Beijing will spin their usual lies in an attempt to soften the blow in the minds of the international community but, make no mistake, WHEN China invades Taiwan, it will be an all-out brutal offensive. In the absence of a fully-prepared and fully supported military offensive by the US WHEN China pulls the trigger, Taiwan is toast.

• China will strike swiftly and decisively, because China will logically avoid a protracted invasion and occupation of Taiwan, even though it may be prepared to incur (and to inflict on the adversary) substantial casualties (i.e., human lives, military assets, economic resources, etc.) usually entailed in such an undertaking. Again, this is to emphasize that if the US wavers even momentarily in its decision to unequivocally and completely help Taiwan WHEN China pulls the trigger, Taiwan is toast.

Hence, Xi Jinping and his cronies in Beijing are probably hoping that scenarios other than the US backing-up Taiwan with the full force of its military (that are actually being contemplated by so-called analysts and think-tanks) would actually gain traction in Washington--all the more to keep the US unprepared for China's imminent, overwhelming and swift invasion of Taiwan.

• China will invade and takeover Taiwan when the US is at its weakest. If, for example, Trump wins the next US presidential elections in 2024, I think China will invade Taiwan within that four to eight year window of opportunity (i.e., 2024 to 2032), when the US is once again embroiled in the pettiness of Trump or, for that matter, untangling the damage thereof. This may be stating the obvious but Trump will simply not be willing to spend the money for Taiwan. Wars, after all, are expensive and a war with China (at least one that would save Taiwan) could (but not necessarily) be infinitely more expensive than any of the previous wars of the US. Moreover, even if Trump were to come to the rescue of Taiwan, it would be at best half-baked, which is to say that Taiwan is toast. Furthermore, Trump is disrespected by the rest of the world; therefore, there would be no concrete support from the international community other than the usual motherhood statements condemning China for its brutal military aggression towards Taiwan.

As of today, the US and China are already at war, even though the proverbial gunshot has not yet been fired. For sure, the economic war is intensifying. The military war is at its psychological phase--a psyche war that portents to escalate into an actual military confrontation, particularly in Taiwan. However, if the US has learned its lessons from its past military forays around the world, it is bound to face the stark reality that, in the case of the US, Taiwan is a "nice to have;" whereas, in the case of China, Taiwan is a "need to have"--an essential feather in the cap of China's aspiration for global hegemony. That is why it is only a matter of time before China finally gets Taiwan.

Why does all of this matter to the Philippines?

For context, I quote Winston Churchill as the Nazis were pummeling London in the Second World War:

                                           “In War: Resolution,

                                            In Defeat: Defiance,

                                            In Victory: Magnanimity,

                                            In Peace: Good Will.”

                                            (underscore mine)

The truth is, the Philippines has been such easy prey that China elected to illegally and brazenly occupy our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) even before its imminent invasion of Taiwan. It follows that WHEN China invades and occupies Taiwan, it will be emboldened to double-down and entrench itself more fully in the WPS, thereby eliminating any possibility of ejecting this sovereign squatter out of our EEZ. It is therefore in the interest of the Philippines to support the US but only if the US is genuinely going to bat for Taiwan against China. In exchange, the Philippines should secure the unequivocal commitment of the US to pro-actively remove (as in completely remove) China's presence within our EEZ, which is substantially different from the wishy-washy defense agreements we currently have with the US.

Although I am sticking with my fearless forecast that China will eventually get Taiwan (in other words, Taiwan's defeat appears imminent), this does NOT mean that Taiwan, the US and the Philippines just throw-in the towel and let China rape us as it pleases. Hence, DEFIANCE IN DEFEAT, even though we have not yet been defeated. This means the triumvirate (which should eventually be expanded to include South Korea, Japan, Australia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, among other countries being bullied by China in the region) should plan (and be ready to execute the plan at a moment's notice) to repel China WHEN it decides to invade Taiwan, which in itself will be a deterrent to China, thereby deferring or delaying the imminence of such event. And in the event that China should strike Taiwan, then make it so costly and protracted that China may elect to withdraw and fight another day.

In the case of the Philippines, the entire western front facing the West Philippine Sea from the northern tip of Itbayat, Batanes to the southern tip of Palawan should be opened-up for an appropriate network of munitions that would be tough for China to neutralize. To wit:

" . . . a consensus has emerged among defense experts about how to deter China. Instead of waiting for a war to begin and then surging vulnerable aircraft carriers into East Asia, the United States could install a high-tech “minefield” in the area by prepositioning missile launchers, armed drones, and sensors at sea and on allied territory near China’s coastline. These diffuse networks of munitions would be tough for China to neutralize and would not require large bases or fancy platforms. Instead, they could be installed on almost anything that floats or flies, including converted merchant ships, barges, and aircraft" (which could be strategically located along the entire western front of the Philippines)

It's relatively inexpensive for the US and would surely provide economic opportunities for mostly poor and undeveloped coastal towns/islands. For instance, the entire island of Itbayat, Batanes, which is a stone's throw away from Taiwan, could easily be converted into a US military base for ultra-quick deployment of military assets in the event of a China invasion. Naturally, the devil is in the details but if/when these US military assets are in place along the entire western front of the Philippines (say in a span of 5 to 10 years, then the Philippines and the US can jointly and pro-actively eject China out of our EEZ--even before China triggers its invasion of Taiwan.

I hope the next administration will consider the foregoing scenario and kick the current Department of Defeatism to act and work like a real Department of Defense. Certainly, the next secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs would have a full plate in building the triumvirate and the expansion thereof. It's the only plausible solution to push back on China's bad behavior and possibly even prevent the invasion of Taiwan in the foreseeable future--DEFIANCE IN DEFEAT!

The Calculus of Gibo in the 2022 Elections

I was surprised to see Gibo Teodoro and his wife show-up with Sara Duterte in Davao recently, which I thought was a fluke. Then, I was even more surprised afterwards when Gibo subsequently confirmed in an interview that he would run as the Vice President of Sara. I thought . . . why would Gibo allow himself to be used all over again--the way he was "anointed" by GMA to be her successor, only to be abandoned afterwards. This time around, Gibo would be used to lend some credibility to Dutae and Sara.

On second thought, perhaps Gibo is the most politically savvy of all. Having been virtually out of political circulation over the past 5 years and having been associated with the corrupt administration of GMA, Gibo understands that his best bet in the political arena is to run for the vice presidency. With Leni as the likely presidential candidate for the united opposition, the space for her vice presidential candidate will be a crowded one with Trillanes, Grace Poe, Binay, Isko, among others, potentially vying for this spot. It would be too much trouble for Gibo to get into this fray--not to mention the fact that the opposition is under-funded and may expect Gibo to dip into his own pocket to support the opposition slate.

On the other hand, with the plunder of Dutae et al and the inherent advantage of the incumbent administration (i.e., power, influence and political machinery), Gibo (who would indeed be the best choice of Sara for obvious reasons--I mean Dutae or Bong Gago for VP is downright preposterous) is going along for the ride practically for free--except that he is selling himself short by his mere association with the Duterte camp. However, Gibo is a seasoned political individual, who understands too well that he cannot be a purist in this realm. So be it.

What follows with respect to Gibo's bid for the vice presidency will be interesting, particularly because he will have the opportunity to garner the votes of the D and E sectors of society by running with Sara. Moreover, he will also have the opportunity to garner the votes of the vice presidential candidate of Leni. Case in point, if Isko were selected as the vice presidential running mate of Leni (for lack of a better candidate and assuming Isko were to agree to this tandem), a significant percentage of the A, B and C sectors of society would probably give Gibo a second look, rather than just vote blindly for Isko. This is in addition to the fact that the vice presidential candidates of BongBong and Pacman will, no doubt, be inconsequential entities that would likewise drive the votes to Gibo.

And if Gibo were to win the vice presidency, I am sure he would have no problem working with Leni as the president. Similarly, Leni, regardless of Gibo's previous political affiliations, would have no problem working with Gibo as the vice president. These two individuals are, after all, mature, intelligent and rationale individuals, who have the country's interest in mind--unlike the imbecile in Malacañang today. I also have no doubt that Gibo will be highly adept at distancing himself from Dutae et al when the situation calls for it.

In short, in spite of the fact that Leni and Gibo may be running for their respective posts (president and vice president, respectively) at opposite camps, I would welcome a Leni Presidency and a Gibo Vice Presidency. Gibo will simply have to step aside when it's time to throw Dutea et al in the slammer.

Fearless Forecast of Philippine Presidential Elections in 2022

 The following is a recent survey of False Asia on the Presidential Preference of voters:

Bago ang lahat, anong klaseng tao si Sara? She is the quintessential rotten fruit that falls from the poisoned Dutae tree. Need I say more?

Notwithstanding, there is no question that Sara is the one to beat (not so much because of the False Asia survey than the fact that Dutae will do everything in his power to cheat the elections and ensure that Sara wins the presidency) if the Philippines has any hope of avoiding the fate of Venezuela. Dutae messing-up every aspect of governance followed by his daughter (with Dutae shamelessly running as her vice president) would be like the chronology of the regime of Chavez and Maduro in Venezuela and it does not take a genius to deduce the imminent catastrophe that would befall the country. As of today, the Philippines, under Dutae, is already a failed-state.

As early as today, way before the start of the campaign period for the 2022 elections, Dutae is already using public resources to cheat! This should be grounds for the disqualification of Sara but the COMELEC (much like any of the government agencies today) cannot be relied upon to enforce the rules with respect to any violations committed by Dutae et al.

This brazen tandem of daughter and father is nothing more than an act of self-preservation (not to mention a perversion of the Constitution), as Dutae will most assuredly be imprisoned (as he should be) if the opposition wins the presidency. And there is no question that the opposition can only win if it fields a single candidate for presidency.

Here is my fearless forecast, which happens to coincide with my personal preference for Leni Robredo to run for president and for the united "opposition" to rally behind her.

Out of all the so-called "opposition" candidates, Leni stands-out not only as a genuine and principled opposition candidate but as a public servant with a solid track record of performance. It is precisely because of her principles that she has been so utterly maligned by the intense and persistent character assassination of the Dutae and Marcos political machinery (particularly in the minds of the D and E sectors of society, which happen to be the majority, if not the supermajority, of voters). Her effectiveness and transparency as a public servant have been a stark contrast to the ineptitude and corruption of Dutea et al, who purposefully deprived the Office of the Vice President of government resources for fear of Leni eclipsing the so-called "programs" of Dutae--which she has done anyway.

The question is, whether or not the people can rely on the likes of Grace Poe, Isko, Binay and Lacson to fall in-line with the paramount objective of displacing Dutae et al. The greatest threat to the opposition is disunity--like Grace Poe insisting on running (again) for president in 2022 (and splintering the opposition), which would be a repeat of her candidacy in the previous (2016) presidential elections instead of supporting Mar Roxas, who would have been a far superior president to the nincompoop in Malacañang today. Objectively speaking and in spite of all the shortcomings of Mar, we knew that in the last presidential elections and we sure as hell know that today.

The same would apply to the likes of Binay and Lacson (i.e., splintering the opposition), if they should insist on running for president in 2022. Not so much in the case of Isko running for president in 2022, as he would conveniently splinter even more the stupid votes among Sara, BBM and Pacman.

It is well-know that Razon is the principal funder of Isko's political career. It is also well-know that Razon is an ally of Dutae. That said, Isko has been very astute in terms of keeping his association with Dutae at "arms-length" even to the point of criticizing the presidential bid of Sara, when he recently stated:

"Hindi ako naniniwala na ang posisyon sa gobyerno minamana in a democratic government. Ang demokrasya, ang taongbayan ang pumipili; hindi ipinipilit 'yung mga kalahi niya pagkatapos na niya." 

(I don't believe that positions in government are inherited in a democratic government. In a democracy, the people choose; relatives cannot be forced to replace him after he's done.)

"Hindi ako naniniwala diyan (I don't believe in that) and I am not gonna vote for that as a voter and I disagree as a citizen of this country," he said.

Hence, to the extent Isko is willing to fall in-line with the opposition (albeit a half-baked opposition candidate), he could be useful as a vice presidential candidate of Leni, particularly in light of his popularity in the National Capital Region. The same could be said of Grace Poe as a vice presidential candidate, particularly in light of the iconic stature of FPJ in the Mindanao Region--except that Philippine society remains quite misogynistic and may still reject the notion of having women for president and vice president. Hence, I would strongly advocate for Grace Poe to remain in the Senate, where she could serve as the next Senate President under Leni's administration. In fact, Grace Poe, who is still quite young, can still run for president after Leni's administration--and she will probably be quite "winnable" at that time (2028).

Bongbong and Pacman essentially serve as the ERAP nuisance in the previous bid of Villar for the presidency. If ERAP did not divert the stupid votes from Villar, then Villar (instead of PNoy) could have possibly won the presidency. Similarly, Bongbong and Pacman, in their hubris to run for president (the former being totally undeserving and the latter being totally incapable), will divert the stupid votes from Sara.

Assuming the opposition unites and gets its act together (and Dutae is only partially successful in the wholesale cheating of the presidential votes), I predict the votes for presidential candidates as follows, more or less:

In spite of Dutae being the incumbent president, the Marcos family cannot consider Dutae et al as anything more than their errand boy. Hence, Bongbong, in spite of public declarations to the contrary, will never play second fiddle to Sara. On the other hand, Dutae et al are so drunk with power that they have the gall to even consider a daughter-father tandem. Pacman is an intellectual pygmy who thinks he can punch his way to the presidency. We should thank the Greek gods for hubris, which will be the end of these political trapos and possibly result in some glimmer of hope for the Philippines--post Dutae's scorched-earth regime.

If there is any truth that Sara is not all well (as in physically sick and, therefore, may not actually run for the presidency in 2022), then Dutae might be stupid enough to anoint his lapdog, Bong Gago, as his "successor." This would most definitely be the death knell of the Dutae Dynasty.